Eminor3rd

Nice! I wish I worked for a Sox affiliate haha

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jun 19, 2014 -> 08:43 AM) Alexei Ramirez and Jose Quintana for Taijuan Walker, Nick Franklin, and Erasmo Ramirez. You know, I don't even know if I'd do that. I mean think about it: Walker could be an ace, sure, but he's already had shoulder issues. At this point, if you told the Mariners that Walker would settle in as a 3-4 fWAR pitcher in his mid-20's I think they'd be happy with that outcome. That's what Quintana already IS, and he's on an extension already. Nick Franklin is a tweener defensively at SS, and Erasmo is really just an intriguing rebound candidate at this point. Nah, I wouldn't make that deal. I'll take the bird in the hand.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Jun 19, 2014 -> 09:18 AM) If you're telling us that these tiny crowds we see at the ballpark everyday include a whole bunch of freebies, then the problem is worse than I thought. I just noticed you're in NYC. Do you ever come to Staten Island Yankees games? You should come one night and argue with me about attendance

QUOTE (scs787 @ Jun 19, 2014 -> 08:21 AM) Wonder if the M's would be open to trading Hultzen...He's injured, and not gonna pitch all year so maybe they're down on him a bit. As a former #2 overall I doubt it but I think they'd trade him before Walker. Hultzen's issues are shoulder-related. We don't want anything to do with him, IMO.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jun 18, 2014 -> 07:48 PM) I agree, I would ask for the minimum of Walker, Guerrero, and Wilson. Heavy price for the best SS in the AL with a great contract. lol what?

QUOTE (NCsoxfan @ Jun 18, 2014 -> 04:21 PM) Trade for David Price? 3. Chicago White Sox The White Sox haven't really been linked to Price, but it's time to realize they are committed to rebuilding and winning, and Price would make them a legitimate wild-card contender this year. Rick Hahn has done a masterful job since taking over as the GM in Chicago, highlighted by his outbidding everyone for MVP candidate Jose Abreu, who should be the starting first baseman in the All-Star Game next month. President Ken Williams and owner Jerry Reinsdorf know what it's like to hold up a World Series trophy in the White House, and with Williams' passion for winning and Reinsdorf's willingness to spend smartly to win, a potential trade for Price should not be dismissed. Remember when the White Sox flew under the radar and outbid everyone for Jake Peavy? I can see them doing it again here. The Rays could ask for second baseman Micah Johnson, who has quickly proven himself in the minor leagues to the tune of a .297 average and .371 on-base percentage. Johnson has good speed, and his defense is improving. Most importantly, he profiles as a leadoff hitter, the type of table-setter the Rays need atop their lineup. The Rays would need another significant piece in the deal, and struggling starting pitcher Erik Johnson could be the guy who makes the deal work. He was impressive in 2012 and 2013, when he showed plus stuff, and was in the team's rotation to start the season, but five failed starts got him shipped to the minors, where he continues to struggle. A physical would have to be done, of course, but if he's cleared, there's no reason he can't bounce back and develop into a solid No. 3 starter. Solving problems at second base and the top of the lineup while adding another solid starter might be enough to get Price at the end of the day. Since this package is "light" compared to the previous two deals, a throw-in such as right-handed pitching prospect Chris Beck would be necessary. The trade: Micah Johnson, Erik Johnson and Chris Beck for Price. Rofl

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 18, 2014 -> 10:26 PM) The White Sox have been one of the most consistent organizations out there, and in contention almost every single year. They won a division in 2008, attendance fell short of the previous year. They were in first place for all but the last two weeks of the season in 2012, attendance was still down over 2011. Unless by consistency, you literally mean win the division almost every single year, all of the myths of when Sox fans will actually show up are pretty well busted, unless a World Series is actually won. I think a lot of people were fooled into thinking that the spike after 2005 was "normal", and it has been eroding every year since, no matter what this team does. Even when they have won, attendance is still down. There are some who need to re-set their expectations, because they aren't reality. I do mean win the division almost every year. Other teams have runs of several years of relative dominance before being usurped. The White Sox have been "in it" a lot, but we have never been the "top dog" in the division for any length of time and we have one championship in 100 years basically.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 18, 2014 -> 10:20 PM) Even when they were winning, they still didn't show up. 2008 was lower than 2007. 2012 was lower than 2011. Even the "WINNING" thing is BS honestly. It takes consistency and it takes more than just finishing over .500. People respond to a shot at a championship.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Jun 18, 2014 -> 07:22 PM) Well I'm very glad to hear that they have figured it out financially for themselves. I'm not sure why you or I as fans really care about that, but whatever. Aren't you a tad more interested in the product on the field, though? Do seriously not understand that those two things are directly linked?

Seriously -- Jordan Danks ' ultimate ceiling is "serviceable stopgap." Let's not lose any more sleep over him, please.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 18, 2014 -> 08:13 AM) When the Sox had Maggs, CLee, Big Hurt...their attendance wasn't even average. According to Caulfield's post, they weren't even average when they won the division in 2000 or when they won the WS in 2005. Wasn't there a 10-15 year stretch where the White Sox won more games than just about everyone except for 3 or 4 teams? I think the problem is the fanbase is stuck in the finding an excuse not to attend games mode. Not necessarily the fans fault. There have been great restaurants that didn't draw a crowd. Great TV shows that didn't draw an audience. Somehow, Brooks and his crew need to make USCF a destination, but until they start winning often, I think he has zero chance. But they made the playoffs like twice, right? Even though the record was good, this team hasn't been a "winner" in a long time. I'm not saying we have to win 5 WS in a row, but a few consecutive playoff runs would do wonders, IMO.

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy congratsssssss

Cool write-up

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Jun 17, 2014 -> 05:41 PM) I guess the fans of the 27 teams in front of us in attendance are still consuming baseball the 'ol fashioned way of actually going to the ballpark much more so than our fan base is. Coincidentally, exactly 27 teams won more games than us last year. Comparing attendance totals to the past is useless because of all the cultural and technological changes, and if you want to know the secret to high attendance compared to other teams, look at the win column. And no, I don't mean the "had a couple exciting months before falling out of it a couple years ago" column.

:lol:

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Jun 16, 2014 -> 05:20 PM) Well, I don't want to measure it historically because it's just flat out irrelevant. It is rather feint praise to conclude that Jerry Reinsdorf has somehow been a great owner because his record of success is better than that of John Allyn. That's just silly! No, where I'm coming from is that here we are, in 2014, essentially still having the same conversations about attendance that were going on when Reinsdorf and Einhorn (remember him?) first bought the ball club way back in '81. Jerry is so often referred to as one of the smartest owners in the game, and yet after 34 years, he still hasn't solved the most fundamental problem of his own franchise. As Hawk likes to say in the broadcasts "It's just that simple!". And here WE are, still pretending that nothing has changed regarding how people consume baseball over that 34 year period.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jun 17, 2014 -> 11:25 AM) Yes, except that El Duque is so much junkier. I loved watching him pitch. Did you know that El Duque is almost 10 years older than Livan? I thought it was like 5. That's crazy.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jun 17, 2014 -> 10:13 AM) He probably throws 82 at this point and he'd still be getting guys out. Just like Livan

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 17, 2014 -> 10:32 AM) Their numbers in the minors are very similar. The only real difference is that Surkamp strikes out a couple of more batters. Their numbers are close to identical otherwise over their minor league careers. It isn't a small sample size either Axe has 634 IP and Surkamp 551 over their time in the minors. Obviously you place Surkamp higher a prospect because he is lefthanded, but really there isn't much difference. Axe 2.99 ERA 1.172 WHIP 8.2 H/9 0.5 HR/9 2.3 BB/9 8.1 K/9 Surkamp 3.09 era 1.165 WHIP 8.0 H/9 0.5 HR/9 2.5 BB/9 10.1 K/9 I think you'd have to analyze their stuff to make that claim. Axelrod is a really polished guy who has figured out AAA, but just doesn't have the goods to do it at the ML level. What is Surkamp? He may getting similar results, but is it from deception and polish or from better stuff? Could his stuff translate better? Does he have some command fixes he can make that might take him to the next level?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 16, 2014 -> 03:14 PM) Taylor is 28 and has 81 career major league plate appearances. I think Marty is saying he has 81 plate appearances as a 28 year old, and the argument is technically he hasn't played in the major leagues as a 28 year old, only when he was younger. So technically he has 0 AB as a 28 year old in the major leagues. I could be wrong. Holy crap. If you're correct, that is a new low for arguing exclusively for the sake of arguing.

What the hell are you guys talking about?

Everyone always knew I was just a wite-support puppet.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 16, 2014 -> 08:30 AM) He isn't be ranked because of his stats though. He is being ranked there because of his tools, and his projectability. Personally I would rank Davidson ahead of the guy (and did on my list pages back), but it isn't just because of his age.5 Yeah, like I said, I'm not saying he shouldn't be ranked or even that he shouldn't be ranked highly -- I just can't believe that (to so many of us) he's leapfrogged a bunch of guys that are safer bets with similar ceilings, that's all.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jun 16, 2014 -> 10:04 AM) "Longer than planned" HAHAHAHAHA. I mean, could someone be any more off base with that comment? We wouldnt even be remotely close to contending if it was "taking longer." Classic Seriously, lol. We have a shot at .500 in YEAR ONE.

Congrats, gentlemen!